Soldier Soldier

It would be very pleasant if people posting comments had actually watched the shows they purport to be commenting on. Sadly this is obviously not the case. None of the officers are portrayed as halfwits, none of the noncoms are portrayed as masochists (or even sadists, which I suspect was meant) and only a handful of the fusiliers are portrayed as drunken or stupid or oafs.

In fact, if you want a sensible portrayal of military life without the sensationalism or over the top flag-waving that's usually attached to such dramas then 'Soldier Soldier' is the one to watch. It was a couple of series too long and it started to get tired towards the end, but the first few series were excellent stuff. And yes, I too speak from experience.

"Soldier, Soldier" is the story of Company A of the United Kingdom's regiment, the "King's Fusiliers". The story revolves around a small group of men and their wives in the regiment. We have Sgt. Wilton who is married to Joy. Joy has adjusted to Army life and taken on the job of creating activities for the wives and children of the regiment, so they won't feel isolated from their husbands and fathers. Then there is Corporal Garvey, who is lonely for a wife. He develops a relationship with Corporal Nancy Thorpe, who is a member of the military police. The relationship was doomed from the start. Both want to advance in the military, but Garvey wants what Wilton has, a stable family with a wife and children. Nancy would be happy to give these things to Garvey, but not in the middle of her sargents training. The relationship of Fusilier Dave Tucker and his wife Donna is very stormy. Both were born and raised in Newcastle. Both had troubled childhoods. Tucker joined the army to get away from the poverty. In the end, the Army became his only family. Donna, his wife, was a "party girl". When she saw Tucker flash his new Army pay, she set her eyes for him. He fell in love, she didn't. From that point, she hated Army life. Through out his troubled Army life, Tucker fought to stay in, but Donna did everything she could to try to get him out. After finding Donna with another man, Tucker went "Absent Without Leave" and faced a court martial. Donna was ecstatic, but when he was sentenced to 6 months detention instead of being kicked out, she left him. After hitch-hiking several rides back to Newcastle, Donna realized she had no where to go. She returned to the regiment and with the help of Joy Wilton learned to adapt, though it was still a rough road. The entire series is filled with wonderful and diverse characters; some the viewer learn to love, ie: Col. Dan Fortune and Major Tom Cadmean. Others; like Capt. Davison; the viewer will learn to hate.

This is wonderful series and I recommend it to everyone who wants strong acting and great stories.

A very good representation of Army life, obviously well researched. I feel all characters are well represented with good actors playing appropriate characters. Because it is a series you can watch as much or little or as much as you like but i find you can't stop watching all of it, and you will return for more. Perhaps I'm biased because I watched the original series on TV. I find that despite being made in 1991 none of the series is outdated (apart from the slothing :-) ) The story lines are thought provoking, for example in the first episode you see an Irish Lady who comments about the British Soldiers being sick of Ireland with a reply saying that they only do six months and you should try having two sons on opposite sides of the divide. It portrays family life very well not just the highs but the low points also. It lets you make your own mind up about army life. COming from a military family I feel Lucy Gannon has it spot on.

I was positiviely surprised by Soldier Soldier as the only (as far as I know) under 20s/in my 20s person who has watched this.

I've never been in the army, but I'm nearly 20 and possibly the youngest actual follower of this show. I'm quite a fan.

The show is beautiful and even relevant today. Character-wise very well-rounded. You can always find someone to relate to.

The conflicts and plots of episodes are lifelike. Nothing is blown too much out of proportion.

Severely underappreciated show. Had its time and then burnt out, which is unfair. I liked the original and thus I will be looking forward to the sequel very much.

I liked this programme I used to watch it with my mum and dad I not really sure if he liked it those probably thought it was more amusing then anything being that he was a serving soldier at the time and a S.n.c.o. The soldiers.